Poetry Terms and Definitions

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What is a metaphor?

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A figure of speech that makes a comparison between two unlike things by stating one is the other, e.g., 'The curtain of night.'

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What is a simile?

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A figure of speech that compares two different things using 'like' or 'as,' e.g., 'As busy as a bee.'

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What is alliteration?

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The repetition of the same initial consonant sounds in a sequence of words, e.g., 'She sells sea shells.'

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What is tone in poetry?

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The attitude or emotional quality of the poem, which can be humorous, serious, ironic, etc.

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What is personification?

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A figure of speech in which human qualities are attributed to animals, inanimate objects, or abstract concepts, e.g., 'The wind whispered.'

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What is imagery in poetry?

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Descriptive language that appeals to the senses and creates vivid mental pictures.

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What is a rhyme scheme?

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The pattern of rhymes at the end of each line of a poem, often described using letters to indicate which lines rhyme.

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What is a stanza?

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A grouped set of lines within a poem, often separated by a space from other stanzas.

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What is an ode?

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A type of lyrical poem that expresses praise or admiration for a person, place, thing, or idea.

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What is a sonnet?

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A 14-line poem, typically written in iambic pentameter, with various rhyme schemes.